The FCS championship stage is set.
No. 2 seed Montana State takes on unseeded Illinois State in Nashville for the FCS crown.
The game, airing on ESPN, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Monday, Jan. 5.
How do Montana State and Illinois State stack up to each other on paper?
Below is a tale of the tape breakdown of the teams statistically.
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Figures via NCAA statistics and PFF
Montana State vs. Illinois State
| Montana State | Stats | Illinois State |
| 13-2 | Record | 12-4 |
| 3rd | Massey SOS | 4th |
| 38.1 (8th) | Scoring Off. | 30.6 (34th) |
| 18.0 (8th) | Scoring Def. | 25.1 (48th) |
| 202.6 (70th) | Passing Off. | 214.8 (57th) |
| 203.3 (42nd) | Pass Def. | 243.3 (99th) |
| 234.5 (4th) | Rushing Off. | 170.4 (40th) |
| 116.0 (14th) | Rushing Def. | 132.5 (28th) |
| 437.1 (17th) | Total Off. | 385.3 (40th) |
| 319.3 (13th) | Total Def. | 375.8 (63rd) |
| 0.494 (6th) | 3rd Down Conv % | 0.433 (30th) |
| 0.346 (21st) | 3rd Down Conv % D | 0.391 (57th) |
| 5.93 (57th) | Fewest Penalties PG | 4.13 (4th) |
| 16 (6th) | Def. Int. | 19 (3rd) |
| 0.809 (53rd) | Red Zone Def. | 0.860 (98th) |
| 0.909 (10th) | Red Zone Off. | 0.846 (40th) |
| 2.13 (44th) | Sacks PG | 2.13 (44th) |
| 1.93 (62nd) | Sacks Allowed PG | 1.25 (18th) |
| 6.0 (42nd) | TFLs PG | 5.5 (57th) |
| 27 (3rd) | TOs Gained | 26 (6th) |
| 11 (17th) | TOs Lost | 20 (98th) |
| +16 (3rd) | TO Margin | +6 (18th) |
| PFF Grades | ||
| 4th | Offense | 25th |
| 17th | Passing | 40th |
| 7th | Pass-Blocking | 2nd |
| 14th | Receiving | 14th |
| 2nd | Rushing | 99th |
| 4th | Run-blocking | 38th |
| 13th | Defense | 29th |
| 22nd | Rush Defense | 10th |
| 57th | Tackling | 26th |
| 38th | Pass Rush | 60th |
| 12th | Coverage | 27th |
